Scott Jahnke

First of all, I would like to thank each and every one of you for your thoughts and prayers for my brother, Scott Jahnke.  At first, I was hesitant about creating a Go Fund Me page due to the crisis we are all facing with the virus but I feel the need to do so, as my brother is very sick and has a long recovery ahead of him.  We know for sure he will need a lot of therapy and will not be able to work for months or may not even return to work at all. 
On March 18th, 2020, Scott suffered a massive stroke due to an AVM (arteriovenous malformation) on his brain.  He was rushed into emergency surgery and the doctors were not even sure if he would make it through that.  Without surgery, Scott would have died.  Since then he has had many setbacks.  He has been on a ventilator since March 18th and has since developed a bacterial infection called Elizabethkingia Meningoseptic.  He remains in the ICU on the ventilator.  He has been running a fever with this as well.  He had stomach issues which created abdominal distention which pushed on the lungs and made it even more difficult for him to breathe.  He finally got through that set back.
They now want to put him on a tracheostomy to assist him with his breathing and put a feeding tube in his stomach. We are just waiting for the doctors to believe he is strong enough to go through the surgery.  This procedure will definitely help him to heal faster.  The longer he is on the ventilator the worse it will be and can increase damage to his esophagus and diaphragm.  The extended time on the ventilator could also result in additional bacterial infections from the tube that is going down his throat.  Once he passes these hurdles, he will be in rehab facilities for many months.  They are not sure as to what neurological damage has been done due to the stroke.  We know his right side is paralyzed and he was only reacting to pricks and pinching.  It also affected his speech.
Since there have been no visitors allowed since March 19th it has been very difficult to not go and see him.  Thank goodness for technology and the wonderful nursing staff, we have been able to face time with him twice a day.  We appreciate all the care he has been given as well as all the other patients who are in the ICU due to the virus or other medical emergencies.  God bless all Healthcare Staff throughout the world.
Deb is back to work today. She has been quarantined for 14 days which her work requested since she was at the hospital with Scott when this happened.  We totally understand her company’s decision due to the virus. 
Scott and Deb will be going through financial difficulty over the next several months due to Scott’s medical bills and him not being able to work.  Deb is doing everything possible to make ends meet but she needs some help.  She loves my brother so much and will do anything to get him through this.  She has had many sleepless nights and still manages to keep it together with a smile on her face.  I thank the Lord for her being there for him and encouraging Scott to keep fighting when she has her face time calls with him.  Even though he cannot respond by talking, we know he recognizes us and blinks to commands.  He even gave us a small smile last night when we face timed with him.  These may be baby steps, but to our family it is huge progress.
Our family thanks you all for any donations that are received.  We will keep you updated on Scott’s progress.  God bless you all. We hope and pray the best for everyone during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Love,
Deb Parks and the family of Scott Jahnke